LETTER VII.

UNLESS

NLESS I had kept a regular journal of all that has been done in the kennel from the time when my young hounds were firft taken in, to the end of the last season, it would be impoffible, I think, to answer all the questions which, in your last letter, you afk concerning them. I wish that a memory, which is far from a good one, would enable me to give the information you desire. If I am to be more circumftantial than in my former letter, I must recollect, as well as I can, the regular system my own kennel; and if I am to write from memory, you will, without doubt, excuse the want of the lucidus ordo-it fhall be my endeavour, that the information these letters contain, shall not mislead you.

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You wish me to explain what I mean by hounds being bandy-It refpects their readiness to do whatever is required

quired of them; and particularly, when caft, to turn eafily which way the huntfman pleases*.

I WAS told the other day by a sportsman, that he confiders the management of hounds as a regular system of education, from the time when they are firft taken into the kennel: I perfectly agree with this gentleman; and am well convinced, that if you expect fagacity in your hound when he is old, you must be mindful what inftruction he receives from you in his youth; for as, he is of all animals the most docile, he is also most liable to bad habits. A diverfity of character, conftitution, and difpofition, are to be observed amongst them; which, to be made the most of, must be carefully attended to, and differently treated. I do not pretend to have fucceeded in it myself; yet you will perceive, perhaps, that I have paid fome attention to it.

My hounds are frequently walked about the courts of the kennel, the whipper-in following them, and rating them after the huntsman ; this, and the fending them out, (after they have been fed,) with the people on foot, contribute greatly to make them handy.

I BEGIN

I BEGIN to hunt with my young hounds in Auguft. The employment of my huntsman the preceding months, is to keep his old hounds healthy and quiet, by giving them proper exercife; and to get his young hounds forward*. They are called over often in the kennel: it uses them to their names, to the huntsman, and to the whipper-in. They are walked out often among sheep, hares, and deer: it uses them to a rate. Sometimes he turns down a cat before them, which they hunt up to, and kill: and, when the time of hunting approaches, he turns out badgers or young foxes, taking out fome of the steadieft of his old hounds to lead them on-this teaches them to hunt. He draws fmall covers and furze brakes with them, to use them to a halloo, and to teach them obedience. If they find improper game, and hunt it, they are stopped and brought back; and as long as they will ftop at a rate, they are not chastifed. Obedience is all that is required of them, till they have been fufficiently taught the game

* Nothing will answer this purpose fo well as taking them out often, Let your huntsman lounge about with them-nothing will make them fo handy. Let him get off his horfe frequently, and encourage them to come to him,-nothing will familiarize them so much.-Too great reftraint will oftentimes incline hounds to be riotous.

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they are to hunt. An obftinate deviation from it afterwards is never pardoned. It is an observation of the Marchefe Beccaria, that "La certezza di un caftigo, benche "moderato, fara fempre una maggiore impreffione, che "non il timore di un altro piu terribile, unito colla fperanza, della 'impunita.

WHEN my young hounds are taken out to air, my huntsman takes them into that country in which they are defigned to hunt. It is attended with this advantage; they acquire a knowledge of the country, and when left behind at any time, cannot fail to find their way home more easily.

WHEN they begin to hunt, they are firft taken into a large cover of my own, which has many ridings cut in it; and where young foxes are turned out every year on purpose for them. Ilere it is they are taught the fcent they are to follow, are encouraged to pursue it, and are stopped from every other. Here they are blooded to fox. I must alfo tell you that as foxes are plentiful in this cover, the principal earth is not stopped, and the foxes

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are checked back, or some of them let in, as may best fuit the purpose of blooding. After they have been hunted a few days in this manner, they are then sent to more diftant covers, and more old hounds are added to them; there they continue to hunt till they are taken into the pack, which is feldom later than the beginning of September; for by that time they will have learned what is required of them, and they feldom give much trouble afterwards*. In September, I begin to hunt in earnest, and after the old hounds have killed a few foxes, the young hounds are put into the pack, two or three couple at a time, till all have hunted. They are then divided; and as I feldom have occafion to take in more than nine or ten couple, one half are taken out one day, the other half the next, till all are fteady.

Two other methods of entering young hounds I have practifed occafionally, as the number of hounds have required; for inftance, when that number is very confiderable, I make a large draft of my steadiest hounds,

* Sport in fox-hunting cannot be faid to begin before October, but in the two preceding months, a pack is either made, or marr'd.

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